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Central Asia spans the area between the Caspian Sea and China. It includes five countries, all former Soviet republics. The largest and most northerly is Kazakhstan. To its south lies Uzbekistan in the west and Kyrgyzstan in the east, and to their south, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, respectively. The topography of this landlocked region ranges from vast plains to high, rugged mountains, which influences its weather patterns. Hence, Central Asia is home to multiple types of climates.

Factors

As its name implies, Central Asia sits at the heart of the Asian continent, far from any oceans. Mountains block moisture-laden winds from the nearest large water body, the Indian Ocean. Hence, the climate tends toward the drier side. And it can also be one of extreme heat and cold, as it lacks maritime air masses which would otherwise moderate the temperature.

Mid-Latitude Desert

The southern third of Kazakhstan, western two-thirds of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and both the eastern and western thirds of Kyrgyzstan fall into the mid-latitude desert climate classification. This area is a true desert, with low relative humidity and mean annual precipitation not exceeding 10 inches. But unlike the sweltering Sahara, it's a cool desert. Annual temperatures average below 64 degrees Fahrenheit, and the mercury drops below freezing in winter, although it can soar in the summer. Another attribute of this climate type is a large diurnal temperature range, meaning that there is a substantial difference between daytime highs and overnight lows.

Steppe

The middle third of Kazakhstan, the western third of Turkmenistan and most of the western third of Uzbekistan are considered a steppe climate. A similar climate type is found in the northwestern portions of the U.S. Great Plains. This semi-arid grassland receives slightly more precipitation than its neighbor, the mid-latitude desert, with annual totals ranging from 10 to 20 inches per year. But like the mid-latitude desert, mean yearly temperatures are less than 64 degrees, and decrease in higher elevations.

Humid Continental

The humid continental climate designation belongs to central and northern Kazakhstan, eastern Uzbekistan, central Kyrgyzstan and nearly all of Tajikistan. This area receives more precipitation on average than the rest of central Asia, at least 20 inches per year. Summer temperatures can be sultry in the southern belt of this climate zone, but tend to remain cooler farther north. Also, summers tend to be drier than winters, which are quite harsh, with bitter winds and abundant snowfall.

About the Author

Based in western New York, Amy Harris began writing for Demand Media and Great Lakes Brewing News in 2010. Harris holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Penn State University; she taught high school math for several years and has also worked in the field of instructional design.

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